Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

Why Eyelid Surgery?

There are various reasons for having eyelid surgery, and Dr. Jugenburg has extensive experience creating revitalized and rejuvenated upper and lower eyelids for patients. The reasons for wanting blepharoplasty include:

• Hooded eyelids:  Having excess upper eyelid skin can lead to hooded lids, which give the appearance of tiredness and fatigue. At the extreme, hooded eyelids can even obscure vision.
• Bags under the eyes:  As we grow older, we often develop bags underneath our eyes. It is usually caused by excessive stretching of the lower eyelid layers, and is a problem that is easily reversed with blepharoplasty.
• Sagging skin and wrinkles under the eyes: Laxity of the skin and tissue under the eyes gives an aged appearance, and blepharoplasty is used to smooth the wrinkles.
• Heavy, droopy eyes: Eyelids that have excessive amounts of fat can make you look tired all the time. This fat can be extracted during the surgery, leaving you with a more alert appearance.

Are You a Candidate for Blepharoplasty?

Eyelid surgery with Dr. Jugenburg will leave you with a more youthful appearance. It’s a common procedure for both Asian people, as well as patients age 30 and older, used to repair the effects of aging skin. As we get older, the skin loses it’s elasticity, and when you add in the effects of gravity, excessive skin begins collecting in the upper eyelids, which causes drooping eyelids. For lower eyelids, age causes loosening of the skin and the underlying muscle.

Good candidates for eyelid surgery are adult men and women who have healthy facial tissue and muscles. In addition, candidates for this procedure should have realistic goals as to what the surgery can accomplish.

Candidates for eyelid surgery include healthy patients who have:

In addition, you should:

1. Be physically healthy
2. Have no serious eye conditions
3. Stop smoking at least two weeks before your procedure

How The Surgery is Performed

The surgery is performed using local anesthesia, or under general anesthesia, depending on your specific needs.

Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty

Dr. Jugenburg will make incisions in the natural creases of the upper eyelid. The excess skin and fat are removed and the incision is closed. By performing the procedure this way, the scars are well hidden when the eyes are open.

 

Asian Blepharoplasty Surgery

Approximately 50% of Asians are born without a visible upper eyelid crease – a fold in the area just above the eyelashes. Dr. Jugenburg offers an “Asian eyelid” blepharoplasty procedure that helps create a natural looking crease on the upper eyelid, creating an improved shape. This surgery is also called double eyelid surgery.

It’s important to note that there is a difference between Asian and Caucasian eyelids, both in size and in shape. The Caucasian lid crease is about 20% larger than an Asian eyelid crease, and also tapers closer to the eyelashes as the fold goes outward. Dr. Jugenburg’s goal with Asian eyelid surgery is not to give a westernized appearance to an Asian face; but rather, to create a crease that looks completely natural.

There are two types of surgery that will create an eyelid crease:

• Closed thread/suture technique:  This uses sutures to create a crease in the eyelid by creating a depression in the skin, by attaching the skin to some of the deeper structures located within the eyelid.

• Open incision technique:   In this procedure the skin is cut and a new skin crease is made by attaching the cut edges of the skin to the deeper structures of the eyelid.

The most common method of creating the crease is known as the double sutures and twisting method, or DST. The DST procedure involves creating a fold by pinching together the underside of the eyelid skin and stitching it in place. The doctor may also trim the web of skin that overlaps the corner of the eye. This skin is more prominent in patients of Asian descent.

Dr. Jugenburg will determine the best type of surgical procedure for your Asian eyelid surgery at the time of your consultation.

Related Procedure: Eyebrow Lift

Some patients have a forehead, or eyebrow lift, at the same time as eyelid surgery. The eyebrow lift helps to minimize the creases that occur across the forehead, or those that appear high on the bridge of the nose. It also helps to reposition low or sagging eyebrows.

Unlike eyelid surgery alone, the brow lift offers the patient a more youthful appearance of the eyebrows, along with a more rested appearance of the upper face and eye area. There are several types of eyebrow lifts procedures available, including:

• Open brow lift:  This procedures uses one continuous incision, that begins at the level of your ears and goes up and around the hairline.

• Endoscopic lift:  This is a minimally invasive procedure that uses small incisions in the scalp, resulting in minimal scarring.

• Browpexy: A procedure that adjusts the brow position using an eyelid incision.  This is a great procedure when done at the same time as the upper eyelid surgery.

• Direct brow lift:  A procedure which involves making a small incision directly above the eyebrows and is ideal for older patients with wrinkles on their foreheads.

Most patients recover within two weeks, and it may take several weeks to see the final results of an eyebrow lift. Dr. Jugenburg will discuss the procedure with you, and determine if you’re a candidate to have this surgery along with eyelid surgery.